On New Year's Day we woke up in Pigeon Forge, TN, and drove straight to Asheville, NC, for New Year's Day Mass at the Basilica of St. Lawrence. The drive was almost entirely through the Great Smokey Mountains National Park and was one of the most beautiful drives we have ever made! We loved it!
The basilica was BEAUTIFUL! Before we went to Asheville, we had all watched a documentary on the town. We learned the the ceilings in the basilica were made by the same architect who designed the New York City subways and their tile roofs. We also learned that Asheville was so poor after WWII they didn't have the money to pull down and replace buildings- that is why you can find so much beautiful architecture in the city!
We really love seeing new churches in the places we visit. And we love knowing that the verses being read wherever we are will also be read in our home parish!
I loved this beautiful painting of the "The Visitation."
After Mass we walked through the downtown and found this precious French bistro to celebrate New Year's Day in!
I felt like I was in New Orleans. They had a precious little band playing French music-
She is so very lovable. :)
Lunch was delicious and such a treat!
Mimosas!
We walked around and then found a Kilwins for dessert!
Then we drove to the Bed and Breakfast where Marc and I got engaged 19 years ago at Christmas. And here I must tell the story:
Marc and I had been dating for a few months, but lived in separate towns. He was a lawyer living about an hour away, I was a first year law student. At Christmas break he picked me up right after my last final exam for the semester. We were driving to Florida so I could meet his parents for the FIRST TIME. I was so exhausted from my exams that I fell asleep around Atlanta. When I woke up we were in South Carolina heading north?! After a big to-do where he pretended he was lost :) we finally arrived at the Arbemarle Inn- a precious bed and breakfast.
I was worried, because I did not go on trips with boyfriends, but he told me he had asked my parents if it was okay and had assured them we would have separate rooms on different floors (and we did). He said he wanted me to have some downtime between finals and meeting his family. :)
So we spent the next day exploring charming Asheville. That evening he took me to the Candlelight Christmas tour of the Biltmore Estate and we had dinner at the restaurant on the grounds. We came back and he proposed at the Inn. The next day we drove to Florida and I met my in laws for the first time as a fiance'! :)
Sadly, I was in a weird phase of life where I didn't ever take pictures. I thought it was "vain" and so I have almost NO pictures of Marc and I dating. It's so sad. I have no pictures from us being at the Biltmore at all. All I have is this one picture of us the morning after we got engaged and were about to leave for Florida-
It was such a treat to get to recreate our photo 19 years later!! (Yes, the sun was right in our eyes, but I love it anyway). :)
And that "yes" led to these precious souls!
And remember, I sadly still have bandaids on my cheeks from my skin surgery. Ah well- such is life!
We all enjoyed playing in the beautiful weather on the beautiful grounds-
After the inn we drove to the historic Grove Park Inn, which we had also watched a documentary on. :) Grove Park Inn is the host to the National Gingerbread House Competition. I really wanted the children to see it (Marc and I had walked through it 19 years ago as poor students wondering if we would ever be able to stay in a place like that. I was so excited to go!) On the documentary we learned that the roof was shaped like melting snow. :)
It is truly one of the most delightfully situated hotels I've ever been to. The views are amazing! We had a corner room and could see mountains and forests for miles!
It was all decorated for Christmas- they had a life-size gingerbread cottage serving hot chocolate, cider and "Hansel and Gretel Ale". :) And this little Santa's cottage was so cute for the kiddos!
The giant lobby has two GIANT stone fireplaces with quotes scattered about. Off the charts charm!
The boys really wanted to find the "hidden elevator" in the stone fireplace that we had seen on the documentary- we found it!
And then we toured the rows and rows of gingerbread designs!
After we got cleaned up we waited for our dinner reservation on the outdoor patio by the fire.
The next morning was overcast, but the view was still so pretty and peaceful.
After brunch at Cracker Barrel we drove to the Biltmore Estate for our 12:15 tour and to see the Downton Abbey exhibit. It was a perfect day!
St. Joan of Arc and St. Louis the IX adorn the grand stair case windows.
Because we had watched the documentary the children were looking for "GV". George Vanderbilt but GVs in several spots of his home. We found some!
We also found the Smokey Mountain Black Bear gargoyle. We asked the guide if he knew where the bear was and he said, "Nobody has asked me about the bear in years and years." He had forgotten where it was, but we found it! :)
Grand dining room-
"Small" breakfast room-
The grounds were planned by Frederick Law Olmsted who designed Washington D.C. He picked where the house and gardens should be placed. The views are just perfect!
The library-
The "floating" grand staircase-
Sweet Daddy carried our giant baby through the whole house- three floors! She was a good girl; she seemed to love it!
Indoor pool next door to indoor bowling alley-
Having seen Downton Abbey I found touring the Biltmore that much more interesting. I really care about the servants quarters and kitchens and butler's pantry. It's all so interesting- that English Manor lifesytle so foreign to all of us.
They had a rotisserie meats kitchen, a pastry kitchen and then this regular kitchen.
After the house tour, we boarded a bus to go to the Downton Abbey tour (of course, our children have not seen Downton Abbey, but they enjoyed the pretty things anyway).
Maggie Smith's dresses-
Carson and Mrs. Hughes-
The kitchen-
Mrs. Patmore and Daisy-
The staircase to "downstairs"-
The servant's dining room- we saw a similar room used as a "servant's dining room" in the Biltmore.
The famous bells-
Lady Mary's room and "clothes"-
Carson's dinner gong. :)
After our tour we hit the road and headed home. All in all, this was an extra-wonderful trip to the mountains (and we were only gone 3 nights). I asked the children the next day what their favorite parts were (expecting roller coaster talk) and they all said, "The Biltmore." So regal beauty wins the day!
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